


further and further (rosy)

by lunarchoerry



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cute, Found Family, Gen, Light Angst, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Soulmates, Supernatural Elements, Witches, hopefully
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28799925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarchoerry/pseuds/lunarchoerry
Summary: hyejoo is a witch without a coven, convinced she'll spend her life alone. with the help of new friends, she ends up discovering there's a place even for someone as lost as her--and perhaps even meets a soulmate or two.
Relationships: Choi Yerim | Choerry & Park Chaewon | Go Won, Choi Yerim | Choerry & Park Chaewon | Go Won & Son Hyejoo | Olivia Hye, Choi Yerim | Choerry & Son Hyejoo | Olivia Hye, Jeon Heejin & Kim Hyunjin, Kim Hyunjin & Son Hyejoo | Olivia Hye, Park Chaewon | Go Won & Son Hyejoo | Olivia Hye
Comments: 7
Kudos: 32





	further and further (rosy)

**Author's Note:**

> hello!! this is my work for the secret santa project the orbit carol hosted by @nyaeongie on twitter!!  
> i was @rainfairydong's secret santa! i hope you enjoy!! i'm not sure if it was what you were hoping for but i had a lot of fun with it :')

_Café Dal Segno_ , Hyejoo muses to herself as she reads the sign above the door. She shivers under her coat as she debates stepping inside. As warm and inviting the café looks compared to the chilling winter air, she feels uneasy. Something is wrong, but she can’t put her finger on what it is.

“You okay?” Heejin asks, peering at her with concern.

On her other side, Hyunjin squeezes Hyejoo’s arm reassuringly. “Don’t be nervous. The girls are all nice.”

Hyejoo nods absently. “Yeah, I’m alright.” She shouldn’t worry them with her own concerns. Heejin and Hyunjin have already done enough for her. They’re already doing too much by trying to help her find a place to stay, even if she wishes she could just stay with their coven. But, she reflects, peering down at the translucent string tied to Heejin’s and Hyunjin’s hands, she can’t blame them for not having room for her.

They walk closer to the café entrance, and Hyejoo is brought back to the present moment. The uneasiness in her stomach squeezing tighter. Even so, there’s a pulling sensation in her chest, urging her inside. Beside her, Heejin smiles kindly at Hyejoo as she holds the café door open, gesturing for her to enter. Hyunjin gently nudges her inside despite Hyejoo’s growing apprehension. Something about this place has her on edge. Maybe it’s the fear of rejection.

The café is mostly empty when she steps in, void of any late-night customers. There’s a girl at the counter who immediately catches Hyejoo’s eye. Her eyes sparkle warmly in greeting, then dim a bit in confusion seeing Hyejoo’s companions. Hyunjin steps around Hyejoo to walk up to the other girl, speaking to her in a hushed tone. She can’t help but feel concerned about being left out, the anxiety in her stomach twisting uncomfortably. This outing was supposed to help her find a new home, after all. Heejin comes up by Hyejoo’s side, squeezing her arm reassuringly. The sentiment is a bit lost when Hyejoo herself has no idea what’s in store for her.

“That’s Jiwoo,” Heejin introduces quietly. “If you decide to stay, she’ll take care of you.”

Hyejoo watches Jiwoo’s face as Hyunjin speaks to her, sees the range of expressions flit across her face until she looks up at the others still by the door, a smile pulling at her lips once again. Hyunjin turns around as Jiwoo bounces out from behind the counter to approach Heejin and Hyejoo.

“Hi there!” she greets warmly, a little too excitedly. “You’re Hyejoo? Welcome to Dal Segno! Want something to drink to warm you up? You look freezing.”

Hyejoo suppresses another shiver, shrugging gently. “Green tea?”

Jiwoo takes care of Hyejoo from there, helping her choose a table to sit at before going back into the kitchen to prepare the tea. Heejin goes with her, but Hyunjin sticks by Hyejoo’s side while they’re gone. She doesn’t say anything, but just her mere presence is somehow comforting. Hyunjin had been an emotional rock for Hyejoo so far, and she’s glad to have her here. It makes her heart ache a bit again to know even Hyunjin will have to leave. Her eyes stray once again to the string tied around Hyunjin’s wrist and pulled taut in the direction Heejin left.

Perhaps manifested out of her longing for close bonds, Hyejoo’s magic gives her the ability to see soul bonds. It’s something only witches have, strings of fate that tie the souls of bonded witches together forever. The strings vary in colors, indicating which type of bond soulmates have. Heejin’s and Hyunjin’s string is a gentle pink, indicating their close friendship. Hyejoo hates how jealous it makes her feel, keeping her gaze adamantly away from the loose grey string tied to her own hand. She has a soulmate out there somewhere, but she’s never guaranteed to meet them in this lifetime.

When Jiwoo returns with the cup of tea, Heejin isn’t with her. Hyejoo is suspicious at that but tries not to let it show. She thanks Jiwoo for the tea, taking a few sips. After making sure Hyejoo is comfortable, Jiwoo turns to Hyunjin. “Sooyoung wants to talk with you first.”

Hyunjin gives Hyejoo an apologetic look. “You’ll be okay by yourself for a bit, right?” Hyejoo glances at them both, not certain she has a choice. Silently, she nods. “Alright… I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Gently, Jiwoo takes Hyunjin’s hand and leads her back into the kitchen.

Alone with her thoughts, Hyejoo is suddenly overcome with concern. The conversation between her rescuers and this new coven would determine her fate, after all, and Hyejoo isn’t sure she’s ready for whatever is waiting for her from here on. She isn’t sure she would be able to survive another rejection, but is she truly prepared to put her life in the hands of these strangers?

Though the warm café had been a nice reprieve from the cold December winds, the anxiety of waiting with nothing more than a fresh mug of tea to keep her company has Hyejoo wishing she could step back outside.

Her hands shake as she lifts the mug up to her lips, taking a small sip in an effort to soothe herself. After rescuing her, Heejin and Hyunjin had left her here to discuss her tentative future with three strangers. Heejin promised Hyejoo would be okay, but Hyejoo knew better than to blindly trust her. What reason would this coven have to want to take a stranger into their home? Even Heejin admitted her own coven couldn’t take her in. How could Hyejoo expect anything different from this group?

Hyejoo has never had much luck with covens. She practices grey magic, which was either looked down upon by light magic witches or rejected by more powerful covens. More than that, though, Hyejoo never quite fit in. Even with her previous coven, Hyejoo’s relationships with the other members was tentative in most cases. The coven wasn’t particularly close, but they offered each other protection and that was more valuable than anything.

But now they’re gone, and Hyejoo has to put her life in Café Dal Segno.

Anxiety churns violently in her stomach, urging at her to stand, to _move_ , but Hyejoo doesn’t know where. She feels like she’s being pulled _somewhere_ but it isn’t strong enough for her to know where to go. The uneasiness grows worse, though she can’t tell what has her feeling such intense urgency now. She’s worried, but she isn’t in _danger_. What’s wrong?

The urgency grows, and all Hyejoo can do is tightly squeeze the tea mug in her hands. She’s about to get up, maybe pace the café or perhaps leave altogether, when _something_ grabs her attention. Unable to resist, Hyejoo’s eyes snap over to the kitchen door, and there she sees another stranger peeking out from the other room. The stranger, a small girl with soft blue hair and wide, curious eyes, seems timid as she peers out at Hyejoo, partially hidden by the door. But as they stare at each other, the girl seems to find her courage and quietly steps over to where Hyejoo is sitting.

She’s got a mint-colored mug in her hands, and as she gets closer she offers it to Hyejoo. “Try this instead,” she murmurs, her voice soft and small. Somehow it makes Hyejoo think of a cute little mouse. “It’s infused with some magic to help calm you.”

Hyejoo wordlessly takes the mug, peering inside before taking a sip. The tea has a comforting flavor, instantly settling down and cooling the urgency simmering low in her stomach. Her anxiety slowly, gently fades, leaving her mind clearer as the cloud of worry dissipates. Finally calm, she gives the stranger another glance.

She’s giving Hyejoo a shy, tentative smile, tucking a strand of silver hair behind her ear. As Hyejoo stares at her wordlessly, she says, “Sorry to leave you alone for so long. I’m Chaewon. How are you doing?”

“I’m alright,” Hyejoo mutters, still in a sense of shock over the sudden calm overtaking her. She frowns up at Chaewon. “Are you doing this?”

Chaewon’s smile turns a bit amused. “What, calming you down? I didn’t know if it would work, but I’m glad it did.” She sits down at the table beside Hyejoo, resting one of her hands next to Hyejoo’s. Her eyes glance down at Chaewon’s wrist, seeing a mint green string tied there, the same color as the mug in her hands. She frowns. _What does mint mean_?

“How did you know?” Hyejoo asks quietly, the distraction of the soul bond color bringing her back from her confusion.

“I could sense it,” Chaewon says, winking at her as if this is some sort of inside joke that Hyejoo doesn’t understand. She points to the mug in the other girl’s hands. “Don’t worry about the tea, by the way. It’s only enough to get you out of your panic attack.”

“You practice herbal magic?” she asks softly.

Chaewon nods, a soft blush rising to her face. “Yes—I really like infusing my magic into teas. It’s useful with the café, too, so that helps a lot.” The other girl’s expression softens a bit when Hyejoo doesn’t react. “You don’t need to be so worried, you know. Sooyoung won’t turn you away. In fact, I know she thinks we need another member in the coven.”

 _She probably won’t want me_ , Hyejoo thinks, but she doesn’t vocalize it. Instead she shrugs, letting her hair fall like a curtain hiding her face as she turns away from Chaewon. “Why does she want another member?”

“Well, there’s only three of us right now,” Chaewon says, “and it feels like there aren’t enough of us to keep the café safe. Hard to keep other witches safe when we can’t even protect ourselves, huh?”

Hyejoo frowns, “Is that something you have to worry about?”

“Well yeah,” Chaewon snorts out a short laugh. “This place is known by other covens as a safehouse for witches. We need to be able to help anyone who needs us.”

Hyejoo purses her lips into a wry smile. “Does that include me?”

Chaewon grins back. “Consider it mutual.”

The mood between them is easier then, and Hyejoo finally finds herself at ease. _Maybe this will work out after all_ , she thinks. Hopefully Sooyoung is just as friendly as Chaewon and Jiwoo.

It is relieving to know she’s already met most of her possible new coven. If the girls she’s met so far are so laidback, surely Sooyoung is similarly relaxed.

When she finally meets Sooyoung after sitting with Chaewon a little while longer in comfortable silence, she doesn’t know if her assumption ends up being right or wrong.

Unlike Chaewon and Jiwoo, Sooyoung gives off an intimidating presence—though it’s dulled by the way Jiwoo hangs off her arm with a wide, reassuring smile. As the others had, Sooyoung gives Hyejoo a quiet once-over with her eyes before speaking. “So,” she starts. “You’re a grey witch?”

Jiwoo rolls her eyes. “That’s so _rude_ , Sooyoung, at least ask her name first.”

Hyejoo doesn’t mind—much. She stands, “Yes. I’m Son Hyejoo, a grey witch from Gyeonggi. I lost my coven and was told I might fit in here.”

Sooyoung nods thoughtfully. Admittedly, her lack of reaction makes Hyejoo nervous again. Would she kick Hyejoo out just for being a grey witch?

Before either can say anything, Chaewon abruptly pushes herself to her feet, boldly taking Hyejoo’s hand in her own. The unexpected movement takes Hyejoo aback, turning back to see Chaewon’s determined expression.

“You can’t judge Hyejoo for her magic,” she says. “She belongs with us.”

Sooyoung raises a surprised eyebrow. “What makes you so sure about that?”

Chaewon’s complexion seems to flush a bit at the challenge, but she takes it in stride. “She was brought here right when we decided we needed another coven member, right? A grey witch would work perfectly in the café. And besides…” she glances at Hyejoo, the blush across her cheeks darkening. Softly, she adds, “I think we’re soulmates.”

Hyejoo’s eyes widen in shock. _Soulmates_? Who said anything about soulmates? Her eyes dart down to the string around her own wrist, the one not held by Chaewon—still grey, hanging limply towards the floor.

But she doesn’t get the chance to argue, as Jiwoo immediately starts squealing excitedly. “Soulmates! That’s so exciting!” She quickly bounces over, enveloping Chaewon in a tight hug. Hyejoo feels too numb to even let go of the other girl’s hand.

Sooyoung laughs. “Isn’t this unexpected!” She also steps closer, giving Hyejoo a reassuring smile. “Well, to be honest we already decided you can join our family—if you want to, of course. You can also just stay with us until you find somewhere else to go.” The look she gives now is meaningful, sincere. “Really, it’s whatever feels best to you.”

And that has Hyejoo feeling… hopeful. It’s been a long time since she’s been given such a big choice over her life, and she appreciates Sooyoung offering it to her even at her own expense. But she can feel Chaewon’s eyes on her, and the other’s hand is heavy in her own. The expectation weighs heavy on her despite Sooyoung’s best efforts.

“Hyejoo,” a voice calls gently, and she turns to look at Hyunjin, who is still hanging back towards the bar with Heejin. The expression on her face almost mirrors Sooyoung’s, if a bit softer. “It’s okay to be selfish.”

And somehow that’s what Hyejoo needs to open up. She takes a deep, steadying breath. “Things are moving a bit fast for me. I’d like to try being with your coven, but I don’t want to promise yet that I’ll stay.”

Sooyoung’s smile widens. “That’s reasonable. And we can definitely make that happen.”

“I’d really appreciate that,” she mumbles, suddenly shy. Jiwoo cheers, but Hyejoo can’t bring herself to look over at the two witches by her side. She’s afraid of Chaewon’s disappointment.

But as she feels her hand being squeezed, she finds she doesn’t have to worry. “Thank you for giving us a chance,” Chaewon murmurs to her, and when Hyejoo looks up, she finds a happy smile on the other girl’s features.

Hyejoo smiles back, but the string on her wrist suddenly feels weighted with guilt. She doesn’t know _why_ Chaewon seems to think they’re soulmates, but she hopes it doesn’t get in the way. Maybe she’ll realize after enough time that they aren’t bonded.

Jiwoo peeks her head around Chaewon to get the youngest witch’s attention. “Then, do you want to get settled in your room? We can show you around the café too!”

Hyejoo nods, and she’s quickly tugged back into the café these girls call home. Jiwoo takes the lead in showing her around, quickly flitting from room to room and promising a better tour in the morning. Hyejoo knows she isn’t getting the full tour, but it’s late and she’d prefer this to spending all night looking around. Chaewon and Hyunjin tag along too, the latter likely only joining for Hyejoo’s comfort. It’ll be difficult when she and Heejin leave, but she’s ready to stop being a burden.

The café is small, though there’s more space than it looks. Hyejoo appreciates the earthy, flowery theming within the space. Aesthetically, it feels like a witch’s lair. Plenty of herbs, crystals, flowers, candles, and other assorted spellcasting items decorate the café, adding to the cozy atmosphere. Among the flowers and crystals are also different instruments, from a guitar stashed behind the barista counter to a small piano tucked into a corner of the seating area of the main café floor. Jiwoo explains that a lot of the décor is influenced by what types of magic each witch practices and adds that Hyejoo is free to add anything she wants for her own practice. Somehow it adds to the homely feel and has Hyejoo feeling at ease.

Finally, though, Hyejoo is shown to her new bedroom. The girls give her time to settle, though Hyunjin hangs back to talk with her. Hyejoo settles to lay down on her new bed, heaving a large sigh.

Hyunjin snorts. “You gonna be okay?”

Hyejoo sighs, shrugs. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. The others seem nice, and you trust them enough to bring me here.”

“They’re good friends of ours,” Hyunjin agrees softly, nodding. “If anything goes wrong, you can call me, alright? We’re not just leaving you here and never looking back.”

“Thanks,” Hyejoo says, not really sure what else to say as she sits up. She isn’t sure how she feels, too tired to continue to process.

The other witch gives her a quiet look before shrugging. “Well, you’re probably exhausted, huh? I can go ahead and get out of your hair for today.” Hyejoo only nods silently. Hyunjin walks over and pulls her into a tight hug. “You’re gonna thrive here, I know it. I’ll be back soon, and I know you’ll be perfectly settled in already.”

Hyejoo sinks into the embrace, giving herself that one moment to lean on someone else. “I appreciate that. I really do.”

They hug for another moment before Hyejoo lets go, and Hyunjin smiles at her. “I’ll see you soon, okay? Be good!”

“Can’t promise anything,” she responds, and Hyunjin laughs as she says her goodbyes and steps out of the room. Hyejoo lets the silence settle around her, taking a deep breath. For the first time in a long time, she feels safe.

She spends some time just lying on her new bed. She doesn’t have anything to unpack, giving her more time to ground herself and focus on her surroundings. Her room is a nice size, big enough to live comfortably in, with enough furniture to feel like she could make it homely one day—if she decides to stay.

It is a bit overwhelming to be alone here, though.

She’s drifting in and out of sleep by the time she hears a soft knock at her door. Blearily, she sits up, calls out, “Come in,” and blinks up as the door opens and Chaewon peeks in. Hyejoo thinks her expression is caught between something like a polite smile and a grimace. “Oh, hey what’s up?”

Chaewon smiles, holding out a bundle of clothes as she steps into the room. “Brought you some PJs and an extra blanket in case you need it.”

Hyejoo stands from the bed, walking over to take the cloth bundled in the other’s arms. “Thanks,” she says, genuinely appreciative. “Um, all this really means a lot to me.”

“I’m happy we could help you out,” Chaewon says, beaming. “Don’t be shy to ask for anything you need. We all want you to feel at home.”

She nods, lips pressed together in a thin line. “I’m… not really used to asking for help. But I’ll keep that in mind, okay?”

“That’s all I’m asking for,” Chaewon reassures.

“Yeah,” Hyejoo says, nodding again. She finds herself feeling awkward in the other’s presence, unable to forget what happened back in the café. “Uh, so earlier, with the others,” she starts, “What did you mean by us being soulmates?”

Chaewon’s smile softens, maybe takes on an amused edge. “I could tell as soon as you walked in,” she says. “I don’t know if it’s normal, but I’ve been able to sense your presence, especially the closer we are. So when you walked in with your stormy emotions, it took all I had to hold back for so long.”

That’s… hard to argue with. “I… I just…” Hyejoo grimaces. After a moment of hesitation, she admits, “I can see soulmate bonds, and—and my is still grey,” she waves her hand up, even though she knows Chaewon can’t see, then gestures at Chaewon’s hand with her opposite hand, “And yours isn’t, and I just—,”

 _Hold on_ . She pauses, a flash of color catching her attention. When Hyejoo lifts her hand, Chaewon’s string is pulled taut. She blinks, following the string to where it leads—all the way up to her own opposite wrist.

On the other end of Chaewon’s mint green soulmate string is Hyejoo’s own wrist—and yet, Hyejoo’s other wrist still wears a limp grey string with no one on the other end.

Hyejoo lifts both her wrists and stares. “I have two soulmate bonds.”

It’s quiet for a bit after that, Hyejoo in shock and Chaewon simply looking confused. It’s too much for Hyejoo to process, and she simply can’t find any words. It isn’t until Chaewon speaks again that Hyejoo snaps out of it. “Well, as long as I’m connected to one of them, that’s all that matters to me.”

Hyejoo’s eyes snap over to meet hers, and she can’t help but smile. “You know, your soulmate bond is a really unique color.”

“ _Our_ soulmate bond,” Chaewon corrects, taking hold of Hyejoo’s hand tied to her own. “What color is it? What are the colors for?”

“They signify what kind of bond the soulmates have,” she says, looking down at their bond again. “Ours is mint green.”

Chaewon raises an eyebrow. “And that means…?”

“I dunno,” Hyejoo shrugs, laughs as Chaewon pouts. “I’ve never seen it before.”

“It must mean we’re special, then,” she decides. Something in Hyejoo’s chest flutters warmly at that. She’s never felt like she’s belonged with anyone before. And now here she is, holding the hands of a soulmate she didn’t know she had.

They stay like that for another bit, just holding hands and taking in each other’s presence. At this rate, holding Chaewon’s hand might become her new favorite thing. Hyejoo’s heart feels so _full_ —and to think she might have another soulmate somewhere else in the world is incredible.

“Well,” Chaewon murmurs after a while. “You’ve got to be tired. I should let you get to sleep,”

“Do you think,” Hyejoo blurts out, “That you could stay just a little longer?”

Chaewon pauses, considering. “We could cuddle for a bit, if you want?”

And now it’s Hyejoo’s turn to stop and think. It would be nice, to lie down and hold each other for a bit. But she doesn’t want to give off any implications that she isn’t prepared for. Even if they’re soulmates, Hyejoo isn’t ready for anything romantic. “Maybe—maybe that’s taking things too far right now. We just met, and I don’t want to force anything romantic yet…”

“Oh, I didn’t mean anything more than platonic,” Chaewon agrees. “We just met, and we don’t know if we’ll feel like that towards each other. You know soulmates can just be friends, right?”

Of course. Yeah, Hyejoo should know that better than anyone. She thinks of Hyunjin and Heejin’s pink, platonic soul bond. Relieved, she says, “Oh, then sure. I… would appreciate that.”

And Chaewon gives her that same reassuring, gentle smile from earlier before leading Hyejoo over to her bed. “Get comfy first,” Chaewon tells her, and Hyejoo lies on her back and waits for the other witch to join her. Chaewon lies next to her, curling up with her head tucked into the crook of Hyejoo’s neck with her arm extended over the other’s stomach in a loose embrace. Hyejoo allows her own arms to circle Chaewon. As they cuddle together, Hyejoo distantly thinks that Chaewon smells like chamomile and lavender. It’s a soothing combination.

“Is this okay?” Chaewon asks quietly.

“It’s nice,” Hyejoo nods. “Thank you.”

“I’m happy too,” she murmurs, snuggling in closer. Hyejoo takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself down to prepare for sleep. With Chaewon’s warm, reassuring presence against her, it’s easier to keep the intruding thoughts away and focus on her soulmate in her arms.

It doesn’t take long for Chaewon to start falling asleep. Hyejoo is dozing off as well, though she stays a bit more alert. Carefully, she takes Chaewon’s hand into her own again. Her hands are smaller, delicate and pretty, a comforting weight to hold. Hyejoo brushes her thumb over the top of her hand, and is surprised when it catches on something.

As she looks closer, Hyejoo can see a faint, barely-there string tied around Chaewon’s wrist—a different string than the one she and Hyejoo share. It’s pulled taut off into an unknown direction, likely connected to another unwitting person. As she catches it in the light, Hyejoo finds the string is another color she hasn’t seen before—a deep, pretty purple.

She can't help but wonder what it means.

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for the cliff hanger! i'm planning a part two, obviously lol. unfortunately i didn't have enough time to fit in everything in one part, but hopefully i'll have the second part out relatively soon :')  
> also i'm so sorry choerry didn't make it into this chapter, but she'll be in the next!!  
> i also planned a lot for this, including roles for each member, so maybe i'll expand this au? who knows lol.  
> thank you for reading!! feel free to talk to me on twitter or curiouscat @lunarchoerry if you want to talk about loona as witches lmao


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